jervey



Feb. 3, 1931. 'r` M. JERVEY 1,790,867

MAGAZINE FOR RAPID FIRE GUNS 28 30 34 l ag @a q a v INVENTOR MJerV'e ATTORNE Y Feb. 3, 1931. T, M. JERVEY 1,790,867

MAGAZINE FOR RAPID'FIRE GUNS Filed July 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet Y 2 INVEN TOR .MJerv'e fw@ ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 1931 Tnoivms M, Janina-Y,oF WASHINGTQN', DISTRICT on COLUMBIA MAGAzNE Fon RAPID-Finn GUNsApplication filed July 21, 1824. Serial No. 727,308'.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT on :Manon s, 1883, As AMENDED APRIL' 3o, 192s;37o o. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured andused by or for the Government for governmental purposes Without thepayment to me ofany royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a magazine for rapid fire guns.

in mounting machine guns on aircraft either separately or in pairs ithas been found impracticable by reason of limited spa-ce to provide amagazine of any appreciable size. Consequently, the magazine must bereplaced at intervals and it is desirable that the cha-nge be effectedinthe shortest possible time in order that the gunner may immediatelyresume firing. Furthermore, it is essential that the change beaccomplished and the gun reloaded With the use of only one hand so thatthe gunner may use his other hand to keep the gun tra-ined on the targetand in position to commence firing.

Considerable difculty has heretofore been encountered Withy certaintypes of guns in inserting the initial round into the feed box as thepassage Way in the feed box requires that the ammunition belt beinserted at right angles. in additional factor tending to delay thereplenishment of vthe ammunition supply has been the escape of theinitial rounds from Vthe magazine as it is moved from its rack intoposition on the gun.

The present invention aims to provide a magazine, of convenient size forall types of mounting, Which may be readily grasped in one hand by thegunner, the mechanism for locking the magazine to the gun being placedin' such a position that it is included in the graspof the' gunner andheld inoperative as the magazine is attached to or detached from thegun'.

The magazineV is equipped with a feed mechanism which is provided With aholding mechanism for preventing escape of the ammunition until themagazine is in locked position on the The holding mechanism isautomatically moved to inoperative position when the magazine is movedinto place and the feeding mechanism may then be manually operated toadvance the cartridge belt to the feed box of the gun: in Such: e mannerto avoid-jamming.,

Provision is also made Within the magazine' to prevent double feeding ofthe cartridges as they pass from the storage compartment to the entry ofthe chute.

- To these and other ends, my invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l'is a rear View of gun equipped with a magazine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the magazine;

Fig. 3 is a plan View partly in section to show the arrangement of thefeed lock;

` Fig, e is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Y i

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken through the feed mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed View of thefeed lock.

Referring .to the drawings by numerals of reference: t l l y In carryingout my invention I provide a magazine embodying a rectangular box 10,provided with apartition 11 for dividing the box into a storagecompartment 12 and the exit chute 13, Which is so disposed that itsmouthv will bear against the feed box of a gun. v A

The magazine is provided With a hinged cover 14, Which may be locked inany suitable manner, specifically by a rotatable bolt 15, engaging in anapertured catch 16 secured to one end of the magazine. y

The magazine is designed to hold approximately one hundred rounds ofammunition, the' cartridges being carried in a belt which may be offabric or metallic disintegrating link construction. Y

Trunnioned in the magazine above the partition 11 is a roller 17, spacedfrom the top of the magazine,` for guiding the loaded cartridge beltinto the chute. The top Wall of the magazine is inclined at a pointopposite the roller to prevent double feeding as the belt enters thechute. y The inclination of the Wall is ordinarily sucent to effect itspurpose although a flat spring 18 may be provided to assist inperforming this function and also t hold a cartridge against the rollerWhen the magazine is attached to the under side of the gun. Y

The enit portion of the chute as shown in Figure 2, is positioned tounderlie the magazine so that the loaded belt rmay be advanced into thegun at right angles to the path of its descent, this construction beingintended for the attachment of the magazine to either the top or bottomof the gun.

Disposed in the exit portion of the chute is a feed mechanism comprisinga Wheel 19, having teeth 20 for engaging a cartridge, 'the Wheel beingformed on one end of a shaft 21 Which is keyed to a stub shaft 22suitably journaled in a side plate of the magazine. rl`he shaft 21extends through the opposite side plate and is embraced by a sleeve 23abutting the side plate for holding the shaft in keyed position. TheVprojecting portion of the shaft carries a collar 2li formed at itsoutermost end With a hand grip 25 and having a ratchetwheel 26 disposedadjacent the side plate. The bottom plate of the magazine is formed Witha raised portion to provide clearance for the Wheel 19 and also for apurpose which Will hereinafter appear.

The feed mechanism is so positioned in the chute that the Wheel 19, inaddition to advancing the cartridge belt, may also serve in the capacityof akroller to guide the belt as it turns into the exit portion of thechute. lf desired, the Wheel 19 may be positioned nearer the mouth ofthe chute so that only one cartridge Will be engaged and Yan additionalroller may then be provided. j

The Wheel 19 is also shown as being positioned to engage the bullet endof the cartridge, although it may be placed to engage Ythe cartridgecase or an additional Wheel may be provided.7 The method shovvn insuresproper entry of the belt into the feed box because the force foradvancing the belt is applied some distance from the mouth of the chuteallowingV the belt Which is more or less rigid to be directed against aside of the chute and then redirected into the feed boX at the properangle to prevent jamming. When the force is to be appliednearer themouth of the chute the alternate method of positioning the Wheel toengage the cartridge case has been found to be preferable.

'A guide plate 27 is provided at 'the exit portion'of the chute torestrict the mouth to the size of the entry of the feed box of the gun.A ratchet dog 28 supported by a bracket 29 ysecured to the inner side ofthe exit portion ofthe chute passes through an aperture 3Q lto engagethe ratchet Wheel 26. The dog is normallv held in engagement With theratchet Wheel by spring 31 confined between a projection on the dog andthe bracket 29 and embracing a pilot pin 32. The function of the againstrotation to prevent the escape of the loaded belt until the magazine isattached to` the gun at which time the movement of the dog has beenstopped by a side plate of the receiver of the gun and automaticallydisengaged from the ratchet Wheel as shown in Figure 1. c

rlihe magazine is 'adapted to be mounted on the upper or under side ofthe receiver of a machine gun and for this purpose there is secured tothe bottom of the magazine an attaching plate 38, preferably, positionedat one side thereof as best seen in Figure t. @ne edge of the plate '33is extended beyond the side of the magazine While the opposite end isspaced from the raised portion of the bottoniplate so thatthe attachingplate may be slidably moved into a receiver plate Se carried by the gunand may engage the saine in any form of tongue and groove arrangement.The attaching plate is formed with bevel faces 35 to facilitateinsertion in the receiver plate.

slightly altering the attaching mechanisin the magazine Ymay also bemounted at either side of the gun.

The magazine is locked into position on the-gun through a spring pressedlatch 36. pivotally carried by a bracket 37 secured to a le plate of themagazine and the latch adapted to engage in a slot 3S of the receiverplate S-iwhen fully in position. The latch is so positionedthat it mayreadily be included in the grasp ofthe gunner and heldY inoperative asthe magazine is attached to or detached from the'gun.

For the purpose of preventing the gunner from accidentally dropping themagazine.y there is provided a flexible handle 89 secured to asta-ple l0and a handle bar il supported by the trunnions of the roller 17.

ln Figure 5 is shown a modified form of the roller 17, Which is designedto provide for the smaller diameter of the bullet end of the cartridgeand also serves to space the belt from the roller. v

ln operation, the loadedbelt is placed in the box and a free end thereofis manipulated to descend the chute When the feed mechanism beingmanually released from the ratchet may advance the belt to the positionshown in Y Figure 2 Where it is held against forward movement by theratchet, When attaching vthe magazine to the gun, the'ratchet isautomatically freed as described in Ythepremises and the gunner byrotating the hand grip may advance a belt into the feed box. With thesame hand he may operate the usual loading handle to complete theloadingoperation.

While in the foregoing Vthere has been illustrated and described suchcombination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desired to yemphasize thefact meosev 2, tatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normallyholding the feed wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to beautomatically held inoperative 'on attachment of the magazine to a gun,a plate for restricting the mouth of the chute, an attaching platesecured to the bottom of the magazine, and a latch for locking themagazine on a gun, said latch being so placed as to be included in thegrasp of the operator to be held in released position during theattaching and detaching operation.

2. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment forammunition, a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute,a feed Wheel rotatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normallyholding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to beautomatically held inoperative on attachment of the magazine to a gun, aplate for restricting the mouth of the chute, an attaching plate securedto the bottom of the magazine, and a latch for locking the magazine on agun, said latch being so placed as to be included in the grasp of theoperator to be held in released position during the attaching anddetaching position.

3. A magazine for rapid lire guns ineluding a storage compartment forammunition, a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute,a feed Wheel rotatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normallyholding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to beautomatically held inoperative on attachment of the magazine to a gun,an attaching plate secured to the bottom of the magazine, and a latchfor locking the magazine on a gun, said latch being so placed as to beincluded in the grasp of the operator to be held in released positionduring the attaching and detaching operation.

l. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment forammunition, chute, a. roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute,a feed Wheel rotatably mounted in the chute, a ratchet for normallyholding the feed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to beautomatically moved to and held in inoperative position on attachment ofthe magazine to a gun, and means for locking the magazine on a gun, saidmeans adapted to be included in the grasp of the operator during theattaching and detaching operation.

5. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment forammunition,

a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute, a feedWheel rotatably mounted 1n the chute, a ratchet for normally holding thefeed Wheel against rotation, said ratchet adapted to be automaticallymovedV to and held in inoperative position on attachment of the magazineto a gun, and means for locking the magazine on a gun.

6. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment forammunition, a chute, means for guiding the ammunition into the chute,means for advancing the am- Vmunition through the chute, and means fornormally holding the advancing means inoperative, said means adapted torelease the advancing means upon attachment of the magazine to a gun.

7. A magazine for rapid lire guns including an exit, and means carriedby the magazine and disposed in the exit for advancing ammunition atright angles into the feed boi: of a gun.

8. A magazine for rapid lire guns ineluding a storage compartment forammunition, a chute, a roller for guiding the ammunition into the chute,and the top Wall of the magazine at the entry of the chute beinginclined to prevent double feeding.

9. A magazine for rapid lire guns including a storage compartment forammunition, a chute, and rigidly supported ammunition engaging meanscarried by the magazine at the entry of the chute for preventing doublefeeding from the storage compartment.

l0. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a storage compartment foraI belt of ammunition, a chute, a roller mounted at the entry to thechute, said roller being formed to space the belt therefrom.

ll. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a rotatable feed mechanismand means normally holding the feed against rotation, but adapted torelease the Vfeed mechanism upon attachment of the magazine to a gun.

l2. A magazine for rapid fire guns including a rotatable feed mechanism,and means carrie-d by the magazine for normally holding the feedmechanism against rotation.

13. A magazine for rapid fire guns including an exit, and manuallyoperable means carried by the magazine and disposed in the exit forinitially advancing ammunition at right angles into the feed box of agun.

14. For an automatic machine gun having a transverse feed channeltherethrough for a cartridge belt, a cartridge magazine adapted toengage the gun at the top thereof and comprising in combination a boxadapted to contain a cartridge feed belt and provided with an exitopening therefor positioned to register with the said feed channel ofthe gun when the magazine is in operative position, means carried by thebox and movable relatively thereto for advancing the end of amechanismcartridge feed belt through the said exit opening and into thesaid feed channel, and a latch device serving to hold the last saidmeans against movement when the magazine is not in operative position,the said 'latch device being constructed to be automatically released byengagement Withthe gun when the magazine is moved into operativeposition thereon.

15. |lhe combination With an Yai-itomat-ic machine gun having atransverse feed channel therethrough for acartridge belt, of a cartridgemagazine normally detacha ly mounted on the gun. at the top thereof andcomprising a box adapted to contain a cartridge feed belt and providedWith an exit opening therefor positioned in register with the said feedchannel of the gun, means `carried by the box and movable relativelythereto for advancing the end of a cartridge feed be t thro-ugh the saidexit opening and into the said feed channel, and a latch device servingto hold the Alast said means against movement When the magazine is notoperative position, the said latch device being constructed to beautomatically released by en agement With the run When the magazine b bD is moved into o erative position thereon.

16. rl`he combination With an automatic machine gun having a transversefeed channel therethrough for a cartridge belt, of a cartridge magazinebox normally detachably mounted on the gun at the top thereof With aportion projecting laterallyv beyond the gun at the side thereofcorresponding to the entrance end of the feed channel, means forming aguide channel adjacent the said laterally projecting portion of the boxand communicating therewith and extending laterally approximately to theentrance end of the feedchannel in the gun, and a device manuallymovable With respect to both the box and thev gun and transversely ofthe latter for engaging the cartridge belt and moving it longitudinallyof the guide channel into the feed channel of the gun.

1?. For an automatic machine gun having a transverse feed channeltherethrough for a cartridge belt, a cartridge magazine adapted to beattached to the gun, the said magazine comprising in combination a boxadapted to contain a cartridge feed belt and 1provided With asubstantially horizontal belt guide channel positioned to register withthe said feed channel of the gun when the magazine is in operativeposition, and means carried by the box and movable relatively theretofor advancing the end of the cartridge feedbelt through the said guidechannel into the said feed channel, the said means being located abovethe feed channel and engaging the belt at the topV thereof. v Y

18.V The combination With 'a firearm having the transverse channel for aflexible cartridge belt and means forvfeeding a belt through the saidchannel, of a detachable magazine for the said belt adapted to besupported on the firearm and having-a passage communicating With theentrance to the feed vchannel when the magazine is in operativeposition, means carried by the magazine for VYtion separated from theforward endrof theV said belt, the said means being manually movableindependently of the feed means of the firearm and relatively to thefirearm and relatively to the supporting and guiding means for thepurpose of moving the forward end portion of the belt into the feedchannel.

19. rlhe combination with a firearm having a transverse feed channel fora flexible cartridge belt and means for feeding a belt through the saidchannel, of a detachable magazine for the said belt adapted to besupported on the firearm and movable transversely relatively to thefirearm While being assembled thereon or removed therefrom, the saidmagazine having a belt passage communicating with the entrance to thefeed channel of the firearm When the magazine is in operative positionthereon and the said magazine being provided With tvvo belt engagingmeans associated With the said belt passage adjacent the exit endthereof, one of the said means serving to support the extreme forwardend of the cartridge belt prior to and during at least a part of thetransverse assembly movement of the magazine with Yrespect to thevfirearm andthe other'of the said means projecting into the belt passagefor engaging the belt therein and being manually movable independentlyof the feed. means of the firearm and relatively tol the first means tocause the forward end of the said belt to be moved beyond the magazineinto the feed channel of the firearm.

THOMAS M. JERVEY.

